Abstract
For many faculty the integration of technology and learner-centered teaching strategies or the adoption of instructional “best practices” represents innovation and change. The author visited fifteen research intensive university faculty development centers, looking at what they considered best practices with regard to improving instruction. The practices and programs described had one or more of the following components: Motivation, Opportunity, Resources and Evaluation, what I am calling here the MORE model. This paper discusses these four factors important to instructional change agents. The paper ends with a list of implications, based on the model, for that would enable faculty development centers to have more control over the factors that are important to faculty success and systemic change.
TopBest Practices In Teaching And Learning
Best practices for teaching and learning are popular topics of discussion at faculty development conferences. In addition, “best practices” are commonly the topic of posts on list-services like POD (http://podnetwork.org). In response to queries about the best use of laptops, podcasts, or whatever the technology, many inspired list-serve subscribers freely share their knowledge and information about what is happening at their universities or provide links to activities or practices they have found at other universities. In the fall semester of 2005, I had the opportunity to take a sabbatical to visit fifteen universities, in order to take a closer look at how best practices are defined, and the context in which they are being used. This was an enlightening experience because seeing a program in operation gives you a far better feel for what it takes to make a successful practice than just reading a description of that practice.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Faculty Development: resources and activities to help faculty become effective at facilitating student learning
Opportunity: Circumstances that allow the time to pursue an activity
Assessment: Evaluation used to determine the degree to which learning outcomes are being met.
Instructional Technology: methods and means for designing and delivering instruction
Resources: space, technology, support and funds to enable an activity
Motivation: a mental disposition affecting a choice of action
Best Practices: Strategies or instructional activities that improve student learning
Blended instruction: A mix of face-to-face and on-line instruction.
Evaluation: the collection and processing of data to facilitate decision making
Learning Centered: curriculum built and assessed around stated learning outcomes.
Learning Outcomes: statements of what the students are supposed to be able to do after taking a course.